Salvation in Isaiah 29

The word WOE communicates to the reader a state of heavy
calamity, of grief, misery and sorrow. Isaiah 28 was Woe to
Ephraim – Isaiah 29 tonight is Woe unto Ariel. Where is
Ariel? Who is Ariel?

Ariel means “lion of God”. The lion is the King of
beasts and ferocious in nature. There are references to the Lion
of Judah – that the tribe of Judah was lion like in its
behaviour and stature. The whole of the people of Israel were
described as those who “would rise up as a great
lion” (Numbers 23). Men who are brave are noted to be
“valiant, whose heart is as the heart of a lion,” (2
Samuel 17). Old Job said that God had “hunted him like a
fierce lion” (Job 10) and in Proverbs 19 v 12 the
king’s wrath is as the roaring of a lion;

So why is there woe pronounced against the lion?

It is because Jerusalem, the beautiful city, capital of Judah,
the place where God had promised to come down to dwell with His
people in His temple, is the place of the burnt sacrifice with
all of its symbolism. A lion devours – but so does an altar
of sacrifice – burnt offering – fire devours. Ariel
therefore depicts Jerusalem, the place where King David lived,
with all of its rich meaning.

So verses 1-3 spell out this woe. Something dreadful is going
to happen to Jerusalem. God is saying through Isaiah that He
intends to turn the whole city into a burnt sacrifice –
because of Jerusalem’s rebellion! The people had rebelled
the same as Ephraim that we read about last week in Isaiah
28.

One scholar thinks that this is a prediction of the Fall of
Jerusalem in AD 70 when the Romans came and devastated the
rebellious capital of the Jews. Another, points to
Sennacherib’s siege in 701 BC. Still others conclude that
Isaiah is dealing with spiritual conflicts and their
consequences. He is involving a world view, centred on Jerusalem
that includes the coming of the Messiah and the establishment of
His kingdom. The lesson from this and the following chapters when
speaking of the woes is that man is to look to God’s word
and His deeds and to see Him at work in the events of history.
Jerusalem (Zion) will be threatened and brought low – but
not destroyed. The Lord God is in control as he works out his
eternal purpose in and through man.

The first 12 verses describe this predicted devastation as

1. Fullness of Woe.

Verse 3 speaks of a siege and garrisons stationed outside the
walls that will prevent people going out and coming in to the
city. This is all intended to bring the proud people living in
Jerusalem to a humbled position. Verse 4 is interesting –
mediums who claim to summon and consult with the dead deceive
their clients by speaking in a weak thin voice, sometimes using
ventriloquism as though the words were coming out of the
ground.

But then verses 5 – 8 change tack and describe how the
Lord God brings low the heathen idolatrous nations who fight
against Ariel, Jerusalem. Verse 6 is all too familiar – the
natural forces of God’s nature conspire at God’s word
to bring about terrible destructions on these nations. None can
withstand Jehovah’s power when it breaks out – when
it erupts like a volcano.

After all this woe one would think that the people of the city
would be impressed, fear God and mend their ways! But it does not
happen that way. The people were singularly unimpressed –
they display a stupid spirit of dull apathy when Isaiah speaks.
Verse 9 –10. They stumble around in darkness!

Verse 11 uses the illustration of a scroll with writing on it.
To these contempories of Isaiah’s the whole vision and
prophecy is nothing but words sealed in a scroll. There is some
irony in theses verses that must not escape us – If the
scroll is given to a man who CAN read he will say that he cannot
read it because it is sealed. And if it is given to a man who
CANNOT read he will say that he cannot read it because he
doesn’t know how to read.

Isaiah is saying that the people are spiritually blind and
illiterate. In this situation men in any age, yes in 2003, will
grasp for any excuse for ignoring God’s revelation.

This fullness of woe is grave. God had revealed Himself and
His plan for his people over and over again. He showed them
through the prophets his purposes for them even for the City of
David, Ariel. But they did not respond to the magnificent truths
of His holiness and power. They were like a people in a deep
sleep; their eyes were sealed and they could not see.

Moving from the fullness of woe we find next a classic
description of Atheism. Characterised firstly by

2. False Worship.

Atheism has been around as long as the world. Adam and Eve
were infected with this when they disobeyed God and acted without
fear of God. Atheism is often described as not believing in God
– of having no God, and of saying that there is no god. But
when we think of the nature of the human being true atheism is
impossible. We have been made worshipping creatures. We have the
capacity to worship – something if not God. Some call
themselves atheists, but make a god of themselves or their
possessions. Religious people can act in atheistic ways, and
atheistic people can behave in religious ways.

The Lord Jesus Christ quoted verse 13 when he addressed the
scribes and Pharisees in Mark 7 after they had criticised the
disciples for eating bread with unwashed hands. Their legalism
and heartless worship classified them as atheists – they
did not know God!

13 Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw
near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but
have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is
taught by the precept of men:

True worship was absent from these men’s hearts –
there was lip service but no real fear and reverence –
which is an ever present danger for us who love the Lord Jesus
Christ too – let us be on our guard and make sure that our
worship is ever genuine and from the heart! Empty religion never
goes un-noticed by the Sovereign Lord. Hypocrisy and formality in
worship is a fruit of people’s spiritual darkness and deep
sleep. We must not confuse empty formalism with godly reverence
and fear. Worship must come from the heart and be motivated by
LOVE for the Lord God. We have been thinking about this on
Tuesday evenings.

The next aspect of Atheism is

3. Failed Wisdom.

Verse 14 – men thought themselves to be wiser than God.
In his own wisdom apart from God’s wisdom, man is doomed to
failure – and his failure will be exposed. Paul challenged
this false wisdom in 1 Corinthians 1 v 19 – 24.

19 For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise,
and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. 20
Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of
this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?
21 For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew
not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save
them that believe. 22 For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks
seek after wisdom: 23 But we preach Christ crucified, unto the
Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness; 24 But
unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the
power of God, and the wisdom of God.

4. Futile Works.

Verse 15. Atheistic people, who say that there is no God and
therefore they are not under any scrutiny by any higher power,
are according to the prophet foolish! Woe to them he says –
those who think they can hide from God. “Who sees us? Who
will know what we are doing?” This is always the reasoning
of the wicked atheistic person. My friends our nation, the
nations of Europe and the nations of the world are basically
atheistic in their viewpoint today. Any nation who leaves God out
of the picture will fail. Any group of people who think that they
can act and plan apart from God is doomed to fall – because
God knows all things and controls all things. Why won’t
people see it? Why won’t Kings and Queens and presidents
see it? Man’s grand schemes to run his world completely
ignore that fact that this is God’s world.

5. Feeble Words.

The common view in our atheistic world today is that man is
God – that he rules the world. This Isaiah says is upside
down! What a perversion of the truth this is. Sin has so
perverted man’s mind that he refuses to believe that He is
a creature – He made me not is the cry of
every evolutionist! Those who believe in the big bang and deny
the existence of a Sovereign creator have, according to Isaiah,
no understanding! Since God is infinite Man has no ground on
which to argue with God. We are not made they say – we just
happened! What a blind belief that is – and all in the
interest of avoiding responsibility towards this creator! What
feeble words the evolutionist atheist has!

The Bible, God’s word, has an answer to all this atheism
– and that is the Gospel of Grace! The Good news that comes
through the life and death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus
Christ.

The Fruitful Words of the Gospel.

V 17 Is it not yet a very little while, and Lebanon shall be
turned into a fruitful field, and the fruitful field shall be
esteemed as a forest? 18 And in that day shall the deaf hear the
words of the book, and the eyes of the blind shall see out of
obscurity, and out of darkness. 19 The meek also shall increase
their joy in the LORD, and the poor among men shall rejoice in
the Holy One of Israel.

Jesus Christ came as a light into a dark atheistic world.
Whenever he comes to the individual soul of a man or woman the
gloom and darkness of natural atheism is dispelled and the blind
will see and the deaf will hear. Those who could not read will
learn how to read. The scroll will be unsealed and the Scriptures
become an open book to everyone who believes!

Do you know this experience my friend? I remember the
difference that becoming a Christian made to reading the
scriptures. Perhaps you find the Bible too difficult a book for
you – well, when you are saved all will be revealed. God
will give you enough light and information to enable you know the
Lord Jesus and to know your responsibility to repent of your
sins.

Isaiah spoke of a scroll that was sealed. Revelation 5 speaks
of a scroll too which has seals. Only the Lamb who was slain
could break the seals. A song was sung by the four creatures and
the 24 elders –

9 And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take
the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and
hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and
tongue, and people, and nation; 10 And hast made us unto our God
kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.

Do you know the Lamb that was slain? Who is he? He is the Lamb
slain from the foundation of the world. He is the one set apart
to be the saviour of sinful men. A lamb is a sacrifice –
but it has to be an acceptable sacrifice – a spotless lamb
– a perfect lamb – the firstling from the flock.
Innocent and pure – clean and acceptable to God.

The Lord Jesus Christ the God Man qualified in every respect
– perfect and holy – sinless and pure.

He was therefore the one who could be qualified to open the
truth of salvation, contained in the scroll of truth, and reveal
it to His people – true believers.

But it was he who was also qualified to become sin on our
behalf – to suffer as a substitute.

This is what he did my friends – Jesus died for
sinners.

Has He died for you? Has He opened your blind eyes yet? Have
your deaf ears been opened to the truth of His Gospel?

It is only through this Lamb of God that you have any hope in
this life and the one to come.

How can you know Him?

First you must believe that He exists. If you are an atheist
this evening that is the first thing that you must acknowledge
– that God is the creator – His son is the, maker of
the universe – we did not just happen!

Then when you have believed that He exists you must know what
he is like – He is holy, perfect and righteous – all
powerful and mighty. And you and I compared to him are but
dust!

After this there must come a dawning in your mind and soul
that you are estranged from Him and have been since you existed
– this estrangement has come about through your sin –
you need to repent of that and you need to reach out to Him and
seek His forgiveness and grace, ask for His pardon for your many
sins.

Will you trust Him tonight my friend? Go to Him – as
soon as you can – confess your sins to Him and ask Him to
save you and find in Him the one who will change your life
forever – so that you may worship Him with all of your
heart and soul and mind!